Sill-supported adapter and weather seal for windows



Sept '7, 1954v J. vH. oswALD E1-AL' 2,688,166

SILL-SUPPORTED ADATER AND WEATHER SEAL FOR WINDOWS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 14, 1951 vINVENTORS f M j( BY Y ' ATTORNEY Sept. 7, 1954 J. H. OSWALD ETAL SILL-SUPPORTED ADAPTER AND WEATHER SEAL FOR WINDOWS Filed Nov. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z8 W' 4 .A -27 ,///////,;i--'}"////////////4,,//////, 4

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INVENTORS ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1954 SILL-SUPPORTED ADAPTER AND WEATHER SEAL FOR WINDOWS Joseph H. Oswald and Frederick G. |0swald', South Euclid, Ohio Application November 14, 1951, Serial No. 256,302

(Cl. Ztl-69) 1 Claim.

The invention relates to an improved adaptor and weather seal device for cooperation with the bottom of a window sash of the type having outward and inward movements in opening and closing, as exemplified by pivotally mounted storm windows or window screens and by casement windows, the feature herein shown and claimed being in the nature of an improvement upon the construction shown in our application Serial No. 685,262, filed July 20, 1946, which has resulted in United States Letters Patent No. 2,- 583,439, now reissued as Re. 23,775.

Under common prior practice the sash of such windows have been tted to cooperate rather closely at the bottom with the sill of the window casing. Sometimes a flexible weather strip is interposed between the sash and sill elements. In either case, however, the sash must be sized for sufficiently close cooperation with the sill to insure weather (or insect) tightness. According- 1y, since window casing structures frequently are out of true or depart from nominal dimensions by reason of swelling, contraction, warping and imperfect fabrication, hand fitting of the sash at time of installation is often necessary. This requires the services of a carpenter and a painter and renders installation cost relatively high.

One object of the present invention is to provide a sill-supported adaptor and weather seal device of simple, low cost construction which permits variable spacing of the bottom of the sash from the window sill and which, notwithstanding such variation, can be satisfactorily installed by a relatively unskilled workman to give effective closing of the sash at the bottom.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adaptor and seal device which can be used with a storm window sash to provide both a high degree of thermal insulation and effective drainage of moisture that may in anyway get access to the air space between the main and auxiliary window panels.

Another, and chief, object of the present improvement is to provide a sill-mounted device of the character already indicated which is constructed to permit dismounting of it quickly and easily to facilitate cleaning of the sill.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in the angle bar structure having the distinctive conformation defined in the claim and explained in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings showing the adaptor used in conjunctioin with a storm type of window.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an outside (i. e., outdoor)y elevation of a storm window and adjacent window casing parts embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 2, 2, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3a is a section similar to that in Fig. 3 showing the identical sash and adaptor frame of Fig. 3 mounted in a casing opening differing in size from the dimensions shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4, 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5, 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6, 6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detached enlarged plan view of the sill-mounted adaptor and weather seal device employed in the Fig. 1 structure, parts of the device being broken away to permit the enlarged showing.

Fig. 8' is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on the line 8, 8 of Fig. l.

Fig. 8a is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the positioning of the sill-mounted adaptor device to accommodate a casing opening larger vertically than the casing opening shown in Figs. l and 8.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 with the window panel in open position and the sill-mounted adaptor in its corresponding position.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation of the sill-mounted adaptor device showing a modified form of construction.

In order that the adaptor device and the use thereof may be more readily understood, reference will rst be had to the construction of the particular storm window shown in the drawing, it being understood, however, that the sillmounted adaptor can be used with any window sash, including the casement type of sash, which in opening and closing moves outward and in- `ward in relation to the window casing.

In the window structure shown, the reference character l designates as an entirety a conventional window frame or casing structure of wood comprising upright or stile parts 2, 2 (Fig. 3). a head 3 (Fig. 2) and a sill 4 (Figs. l and 8). The casing structure further includes upright blind stops '5, 5 and transverse blind stops 6. The window casing is provided with outside trim members 1, 'l and 8. A similar casing structure is more fully shown in United States Patent No. 2,372,792 to which reference may be made for further details of the construction.

In the opening of the casing structure is mounted a wood sash structure 9 which may be of either the single panel or double panel type but the latter is shown, with an upper panel I and a lower panel II. The upper panel I0 is attached to the casing structure by coil springs I2 which are carried by hooks I3 mounted in the transverse stop member 6 (Figs. 1 and 2) and at their lower ends are attached to screw eyes I4 carried by panel I0. The lower rail of upper panel I0 and the upper rail of lower panel II are tted with metal tongue and groove channel members I5, I5. The lower panel II is yieldingly supported from the upper panel I0 by means of coil springs I6, I6 which at their upper ends engage hooks I1, I'I carried by panel IU, and at their lower ends engage screw eyes I8, I8 carried by panel II. This construction provides a weather-tight joint between the two sash panels and permits their pivotal or swinging movement in relation to each other. The sash construction shown is similar to that shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,372,792, and is there fully described. As is disclosed in the patent, the lower sash panel may either be glazed or a similar sash fitted with an insect screen may be substituted to provide the well known combination stormand-screen window type of construction.

In prior practice, as typified in U. S. Patent No. 2,372,792, it has been customary to t the storm or screen sash panels directly to the wood window casing structure of the building. To overcome the diiculties incident to the above-noted dimensional variations in wood window casings the invention of application Serial No. 685,262 provides and the present application discloses adaptor means comprising (l) an inverted U- shaped metal frame designed to t around the top and upright sides of the window sash structure and (2) a sill-mounted adaptor bar to engage the bottom of the sash. While the inverted U-shaped frame is not a part of the present invention it is described herein to show the adaptation of the two adaptor means for conjoint use.

ln the drawings the numeral I9 designates the adaptor frame as an entirety. Said frame comprises a head strip and upright strips 2|, 2| which are preferably welded or brazed to the ends of the head strip to form an integral frame structure. As shown in Fig. 2, the head strip 20 comprises a web section 22 having a depending tongue or bead 22a, a flange 23 extending outwardly (i. e. upwardly) from the outside edge of the web 22 and a flange 24 extending inwardly (i. e. downwardly) from the inside edge of the web 22. Preferably the inner side of ange 23 is formed with two parallel sharp-cornered ribs 23a to engage the window casing and the flange 24 is formed with a plurality of smaller sharp ribs 2421 to engage the blind stop and has its free edge bent at an angle of about 45c to provide a sharp corner 24b to engage the surface of the sash. In addition the web section 22 is provided with bendable lugs 25 which can be die formed integral with the web section. For a reason which will later appear, lugs 25 extend outward at an inclination to the web and toward ilange 23. For cooperation with strip 22 the sash panel is tted at its upper end with a rolled sheet metal strip II)a formed with a groove II)b to nt tongue 22a, the tongue and groove being shaped so that the panel I0 can swing outward, about an axis formed by edge I0c of strip |05. This action is more fully explained in U. S. Patent No. 2,372,792.

The upright frame strips 2|, 2| have webs 22 and flanges 23 and 24 and lugs 25', and are generally similar to strip 20 except that the tongue or bead 22a of strip 20 is omitted in the case of strips 2|, 2| and the lugs 25' of the latter are longer than those of strip 20.

The lugs 25 and 25' of frame I9 are apertured to receive screws 26 which serve to attach the frame I9 to the window casing structure with one or both of the sharp cornered ribs 23a engaging the members 'I and 8 of the window casing, while the sharp edge or rib 24b of the adaptor frame is exposed for engagement with the win-A dow sash elements, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In mounting the frame I9 in the window casing it is desirable, after the frame is positioned in the casing, to tap the flange 23 of the frame with a hammer or mallet to insure some embedment of the sharp ribs 23El and 24a in the wood of the casing structure. When the screws 26 are applied there is some tendency for the resultant stress applied through the lugs 25 to cant or distort the frame, but this is resisted and prevented by the engagement of ribs 24a with the casing. The terminal surface of the marginal rib 23a lies at an angle of about 45 to the adjacent face of the casing (Fig. 3a) and this facilitates repainting of the building because the resultant angle draws the applied paint into the joint.

While the frame strips 20 and 2| can be formed of various metals and can be fabricated in various ways, as for example by rolling, we prefer to extrude them, using a metal, such as aluminum alloy, suitable for that method. The integral lugs 25 and 25 are made by a die forming operation on the extrudel strips.

The second of the adaptor means, with which the present invention is more particularly concerned, comprises an elongated metal angle bar 37 having one arm 28 thereof disposed between the lower edge of the sash member II and the upper surface of the window sill 4 (Fig. 8) The other arm 29 of the bar 2'I is upturned to engage the inner surface of the sash member II, and preferably has its free edge 29EL bent outward as shown so that its sharp corner engages the surface or the sash. The juncture between the arms 28 and 29 of the bar 27 is curved on a relatively large radius and the bar is formed with a series of apertures 30 elongated transversely of the bar to receive attaching screws 3|. With the rounded conformation of the bar 21 and with the attaching screws 3| incompletely screwed home in the elongated apertures 30 the bar is afforded a loose attachment so that when the sash member II is moved inward into engagement with the ange 24 of the adaptor frame I9 the bar 2'! is given a rolling movement on the sill and the outer longitudinal edge of the arm 28 of the bar is lifted into 'lrm engagement with the bottom surface of` sash member Furthermore the bar 27 thus formed and mounted is adapted to close the space between the bottom edge of the sash and the upper surface of the sill 4 notwithstanding considerable variation in the clearance between those two parts. Thus if the clearance is relatively small the attaching screws 3| can be applied as shown in Fig. 8 so that the rounded longitudinally extending corner of the angle will be held relatively close to the adjacent outwardly facing shoulder of the sill member 4; while if the clearance between the sill and the sash is relatively large the attaching screws can be tted as shown in Fig. 8a so that the bar 21 will have freedom to swing through a larger angle when the bottom sash member is brought intonormal position as shown in Fig. 8a. This large range of angular movement is facilitated by the above described form of arm 29 of the bar with its free edge part extending laterally in the direction of the arm 28.

The elongated attaching holes 30 of bar 21 will ordinarily afford drainage between the sash and sill members but the bar may also be provided with weep-holes 32 as shown in Fig. 7. The arm 29 oi the bar 21 is made shorter than the arm 2t so that the former can swing inwardly between the inner edges of the flanges 24 of the sides2l of the adaptor frame while the extending ends of the longer arm 28 will t closely adjacent the web sections 22 of the adaptor frame parts 2l, 2l.

T'he rocker bar 21 also can be extruded of aluminum alloy and by suitable choice or treatment of the metal the formed parts can be given a suitable degree of hardness and resilience.

The sash and adaptor frame structure are provided with suitable locking means 33, 33 for holding the sash panels in closed position and various open positions, each sash panel having two of the locks. as shown in Figs. and 6, each lock comprises a bolt tit slidably mounted in a tubular case which is pressed into a hole in the upright sash member. The bolt has a section 3de of reduced diameter throughout the major parts of its length to accommodate a coil spring t which at one end engages a shoulder of the bolt Sill and at its other end engages the inturned end of the case 35 so as normally to press the bolt outward as far as is permitted by the operating handle ti which is secured by a pin on the reduced end of the bolt. The part of the bolt Sil which projects from the open end of the case 35 comprises a tapered end 341 and, intermediate said end and the main body of the bolt, is an eccentric neck portion 34C. The lock further includes a keeper 38 riveted to the adaptor strips 2| and having a series of holes 38a to receive the projecting end of bolt 34.

In the operation of the bolts the tapered end 34h facilitates entrance of the bolt into the keeper holes 38a, under the urging of spring 36. When the bolt has fully entered the innermost of the keeper holes it can be rotated by turning the handle 2li downward from a horizontal position to the full line position shown in Fig. 6 so that the eccentric neclt Mc of the bolt forces the window panel inward against the flange 24 of the adaptor frame to effect a tight closure. The stated turning of the locking bolt and tightening of the window panel or sash also turns the arm 28 of the adaptor bar 21 upward into very firm contact with the bottom of the panel so that a tight closure is effected and a considerable supporting force is applied to the panel.

The manner in which the sash structure 9 and the adaptor frame are assembled or mounted in the window casing structure will readily be understood from the foregoing description. rThe sash structure having been provided of a size somewhat smaller than would correspond to the nominal size of the window casing and with the adaptor frame i9 manufactured to properly fit the sash structure and the adaptor and seal member 21 having been provided of a length to nt the adaptor frame, the rst step in the mounting of the parts in the window casing is to adjust the locating lugs and 25 of the said frame member so that the adaptor frame will be centered laterally in the window casing opening 6 and the lower ends of the frame bars 2 l, 2l will be positioned suitably close to the upper vsurface of the sill 4. With the adaptor frame formed of malleable metal its lugs 25, 25 can readily be bent with a hammer, or preferably by simply forcing the adaptor frame into the window casing opening, to effect the desired adjustment and positioning. When this has been done the adaptor frame is firmly attached to the window casing structure by the securing screws 26, 26, preferably after tapping the sharp ribs 23a, 2li.a of the frame into slightly embedded engagement with the wood casing. These ribs are adapted to penetrate the wood of trim strips 1 and 8 more or less to compensate for small variations of the strips from standard thickness.

The sash structure 9 can now be mounted in the adaptor frame by screwing the suspension hooks i3 into the transverse screen stop 6 and attaching to them the suspension springs l2, I2-

of the upper sash member l0. Thereupon the lower sash member may be mounted by attaching the upper ends or springs EB to suspension' hooks l1 carried by the upper sash member il?.

The clearance between the bottom edge of the lower sash member ll and the upper surface of the window sill d is now determined and the adaptor and seal member 21 can be suitably mounted on the window sill as previously described so that when the lower sash member is swung from an open position (Fig. 9) into vertical alignment with the closed top sash member the outer edge of the part 23 of the rocker 21 will be forced upward into rm engagement with the lower edge of sash member Il (Figs. 8, 8a) so as to effectively close the clearance between the bottom of the sash and the top surface of the sill. The firm engagement of rocker 21 throughout its length with the bottom edge of the sash structure is ensured, even if the sash edge be somewhat out of true with the sill, by the resilient yielding of the rocker bar and by the fact that the lateral pressure of the sash when firmly closed is transmitted through the upstanding arm 29 of the bar directly to its laterally extending arm 28 at all transverse sections throughout the entire length of the rocker bar.

The above described construction of the panel closure is such that one person working alone and entirely outside a building, can rapidly and easily install a window or door.

As is apparent from inspection of Figs. 2, 3 and 3a the outwardly extending flange 23 of the side and top bars of the adaptor frame it and the character of the rocker 21 make it possible to t the adaptor frame to window casing structures which depart considerably (due to either careless fabrication, swelling, expansion or other cause) from the correct nominal dimensions of the casing structure. Thus the entire sash structure, adaptor frame and bottom adaptor and weather seal device can be manufactured complete to readily held dimensional limits by large scale production methods and the sashes when transported to the building for which they are supplied can be easily and rapidly mounted by an unskilled workman by the use merely of a hammer and a screw driver. At the same time, the relatively narrow exposed flange of the adaptor frame presents a pleasing appearance and the entire sash installation may be made to conform strictly to the architectural lines of the main window sash construction of the building. Thus the invention attains the highly desirable results of 10W cost large scale manufacture, low cost installation and pleasing appearance.

While the adaptor and seal bar 21 can be` dismounted by the removal of the attachment screws 3|, it is desirable in some cases to have the bar removable without disturbing the screws. To this end the elongated attachment holes of the bar are given the modied key hole form 30 shown in Fig. 10, the extreme upper end of the holes being made large enough to pass over the heads of attachment screws 3|. This permits quick and easy removal of the bar 21 (as for cleaning or painting of the sill) by grasping the part 28 of the bar and drawing its part 29 downward and outward under the screw heads to bring the large upper ends of the holes into alignment with the screw heads and permit separation of the bar from the sill. Thus the bar can` easily be attached and detached without disturbing the adjustment of the attaching screws.

When the adaptor bar is used in combination with the adaptor frame, as herein shown, sash structures of exact standard size can be used with complete success as to appearance and effective closure in Window casing openings which vary from nominal or standard size as much as 5/8" in width and 3A" in height. When the sillmounted adaptor bar is used alone a corresponding, though somewhat smaller, variation in height of the casing opening is tolerable.

It is to be understood that the invention claimed herein is not limited to the specic form of adaptor bar disclosed but may take other forms within the bounds of the claim.

What is claimed is:

A sill-supported adaptor and Weather seal for windows comprising an elongated metal angle bar having a transversely curved longitudinallyextending zone joining the two arm sections of the angle bar and adapted to roll on the top of a window casing sill, the said curved zone of the bar being pierced with a plurality of attachment holes each of which is elongated transversely of the bar and substantially wider at one end than at the other end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

